N. KOREA BLASTS U.S. TANK PLEDGE TO UKRAINE

[Anchor Lead]

North Korea blasted the U.S. government's plan to provide tanks to Ukraine and stood on Russia's side. The regime also vehemently denied accusations that they handed over weapons to Russia, and warned that if the U.S. continues to spread false rumors, it will face an "undesirable result."

[Pkg]

A senior North Korean official has blasted the U.S. government's plans to provide tanks to Ukraine to help its fight against Russia's invasion. In a statement issued recently, the director-general in charge of U.S. affairs at North Korea's foreign ministry, Kwon Jong-gun, said Washington's decision to provide attack weapons is an“unethical crime.” He added that had the U.S. not infringed on Russia's safety interests, the war in Ukraine would never have broken out. Kwon's statement comes just two days after Kim Jong-un's sister, Kim Yo-jong, condemned Washington's decision to send tanks to Ukraine. North Korea has vehemently denied the accusation that it supplied weapons to Russia after the White House unveiled satellite images showing otherwise. The regime blasted the accusation as a grave and baseless provocation. It warned that if the U.S. continues to spread false rumors, it will face an "undesirable result." The North's latest statements are apparently an attempt to bolster a new cold war with South Korea and the U.S. on one side, and North Korea and Russia on the other. Pundits say Pyongyang is trying to find an excuse for future transactions with Russia by denying arms deals with Moscow and criticizing Washington for sending weapons to Kyiv.

[Soundbite] Hong Min(Korea Institute for Nat’l Unification) : "N. Korea is apparently trying to find an excuse for various forms of long-term military cooperation with Russia, which also includes weapons supply."

Experts say the "undesirable result" mentioned by Pyongyang may lead to serious provocations, such as the test-firing of ICBMs disguised as reconnaissance satellites.